. >> reporter: in the last four years in washington, d.c. alone, 6,611 cellphones reported stolen. the numbers last year, jumped 54% compared to 2007. thieves love stealing cellphones because they can be quickly resold on the street. to be blunt, when thieves see your cellphone, they see dollars. >> people are walking down the street with 5 or $600 cash in your hand. >> you walk around and don't think anything of showing it to anyone, but would you walk down the street with a wad of 20s right up by your face? i don't think so. >> reporter: police say they're being sold on the street, in pawn shops or on craigslist from 50 to $600 a pop. "nightline" spent a week with detectives and they say the sbrt is providing a new gateway to fence stolen items, including cellphones. >> the majority of people are legitimate and people are trying to buy and sell, but it's given the criminal element a pawn shop where they can poach things and it's anonymous. they arrange to meet you, somewhere in a parking lot somewhere. >> reporter: today the fcc, along with major carriers, verizon, sprint, t-mobi